Stories about Fat-shaming

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The advent of social media and access to smartphones dawned an era of citizen journalism. Anybody can make a video through their mobile phones and upload it on social media to inform the world about an event. We have seen such examples during the Arab Spring, when citizens uploaded pictures and videos of the atrocities committed against them. Students in Bangladesh are also currently using the power of social media and user generated content to update the world on their protest against traffic laws, and the government’s high handedness with them.
As with anything else, citizen journalism has its ...

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Fanney Khan is a remake of the 2002 Belgian film Everybody’s Famous, and is the story of a father who leaves no stone unturned when it comes to fulfilling his daughter’s dreams.
Prashant Sharma aka Fanney Khan, played by Anil Kapoor, is an orchestra singer who was famous in the 90s, but now in his 50s he drives a taxi for a living. He dreams of making his talented daughter Lata Sharma (Pihu Sand) a huge singing sensation, and is willing to do anything to help her attain the stardom he couldn’t achieve for himself. Although Lata does not have ...

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“The rights of every man are diminished when the rights of one man are threatened.”
These words by John F Kennedy shed light on the purpose behind the 16 days of Activism that we all advocate for today. We all stand united as one, across the globe, reaching out to protect women against the prevalent threat of violence.
When we say violence, however, most of us are usually focusing on physical and sexual violence, featuring stories of battered and broken victims. What goes unstated and somewhat neglected is the trauma of emotional abuse that women are also widely subjected to in today’s world.
“Do you really ...

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“What if Snow White was a little healthier and the dwarves were less perverted?” is perhaps what the poster for the new Snow White film should have said. Instead it said,
“What if Snow White was no longer beautiful and the seven dwarfs not so short?”
What if the marketing team of the South Korean children’s movie, Red Shoes & the 7 Dwarfs had more sense? The movie seems to have taken a rather strong and suggestive tone regarding breaking stereotypes, showing a version of Snow White that is a heavier girl unperturbed by the notion of “proper” behaviour that is commonly expected of ...

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I am five-foot-four, 125 pounds. My measurements are 36-28-38. I wear size medium shirts, size seven jeans, and (in case you were wondering) size eight shoes.
I have never walked into a clothing store unable to find items in my size. I have never been asked to pay more for a seat on an airplane. I have never had someone dismiss me as a dating prospect based on my body type, nor had someone scoff, openly, while watching me eat french fries in public. I have never experienced a doctor dismissing my concerns with a “lose weight, feel great” remedy. And I can open an article with my ...

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“Yes I am fat…. Get over it”
“Oh congratulations, when are you due?”
“I didn’t recognise you!”
“Aap tou healthy ho gayi hain.” (You have become healthy.)
“MashAllah bari sehat bana li.” (You have gained weight.)
“Thori dieting vieting tou try karain.” (You should try to diet.)
The recent events in my life have forced me to put my emotions into writing. The above mentioned remarks are just a few of the insults that have become a haunting part of my daily routine. Disappointingly, some of these people are even closely acquainted to me.
Pregnancy is a miraculous time period in every woman’s life, especially for someone who ...

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Let’s face it, there are not too many of us out there who are fans of Donald Trump. I am fairly certain even his kids cringe deep inside right before he goes on stage and opens his mouth.
We have all been disgusted when he has made sexist and derogatory comments. His constant bigotry against Muslims is worn on his sleeve as a symbol of pride. He has made fun of people with special needs and has even gone far enough to make hypothetical comments about shooting Hillary Clinton; and then even bragged about that comment having gotten him even more votes. He has used tragic ...

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“Aap moon haath dho kar fresh ho jayain. Mein chai laati hoon.”
(You can freshen up. I’ll get you some tea.)
The women uttering this on TV mostly look immaculately well put together, French nail tips and blow dry et al. This sentence deserves the award for the most oft-repeated sentence on Pakistani prime time television. But what is amazing is how good most of the women on our prime time television dramas look while working in kitchen all day, if the dramas are to be believed.
Female news persons are also perfectly painted and coiffured, even if not well versed ...

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Many said that Modi should not be judged without being given a chance and that proof of the pudding is in the eating. Indians have slowly begun to realise that the pudding they picked up a year and half ago is proving to be of a terribly low quality. It tastes bitter. A year and a half into power, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a great embarrassment to the many Indians who voted for him.
He possesses a historic mandate in his hands; the BJP, along with its allies, hold more than 300 seats in the Indian parliament. Modi has made ...

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Love is patient, love is kind, love endures, blah, blah, blah; isn’t it all wonderful? Vowing to persevere through sickness and health, and in wealth and poverty is tradition, and it’s comfortable when associated with lace and roses.
But hasn’t it proven to be fairly useless when it comes to forging marriages that last forever? How many people have mouthed the words, “until we are parted by death” while privately plotting to move on as soon as a more attractive option presents itself?
Here’s a set of wedding vows with practical merit. They might sound unconventional and unromantic. They’re certainly not poetic, but these ...